A crowd pleaser; the 2019 Ruah begins sweet and savory on the nose with raspberry jam, strawberry compote, anise, and tobacco leaf. Swirling brings fresh plums, red licorice, dried oregano, and hints of cassis. Very fresh and medium bodied, the mouthfeel showcases a combination of ripe red fruit and dried herb flavors, with notes of potpourri and rooibos tea. The mid-palate is round and creamy, with plenty sweetness, but without losing its freshness. A beautiful red blend that can be enjoyed now or in the next 6 years.
The Wahluke Slope AVA is located in south-central Washington and is considered one of the warmer regions in the state. Our 480-acre Desert Wind Estate Vineyard is south-facing, with a gradual two percent slope ranging from 800 to 1,000 feet in elevation. The deep, rocky soil allows for excellent drainage, stressing the vines and allowing focused energy on fruit production. The resulting wines are highly pigmented and have excellent tannin structure.
Winemaking
The 2019 growing season started off slow due to winter storms that lasted into February, but consistently warm and sunny days in the summer put growth back on track. The overall heat accumulation remained just above average for Washington. Overall, the 2019 vintage showcased a fairly typical vintage in the area, which is a good sign for the consistency and quality of the resulting wines. The 2019 Ruah is our proprietary red blend, comprised of varieties that were fermented separately, then blended and aged for 20 months in neutral French oak.
What’s Included
6x Desert Wind 2019 Ruah Estate Vineyard Red OR
12x Desert Wind 2019 Ruah Estate Vineyard Red
About The Winery
Winery: Desert Wind Winery
Owner: The Lawrence & Merkle Families
Location: Prosser, Washington
Desert Wind is an immersive wine, food, and entertainment destination in the heart of Washington Wine Country, dedicated to producing world-class wines that celebrate our estate vineyards in the Wahluke Slope AVA. Our southwest-inspired estate is perched on a bluff overlooking the Yakima River in Prosser, Washington, and boasts a large tasting room, overnight accommodations, light kitchen fare, spa services, and ample private event space. Desert Wind’s legacy and acclaimed wines are rooted in family and our sun soaked Wahluke Slope AVA estate vineyard. Our philosophy on winemaking is simple: Start with grapes that show terrific potential and craft smooth, friendly, world-class wines you can drink every day. We’ve grown a lot since our first vines were planted in 1993, but one thing remains the same - our commitment to creating experiences that bring people together.
@phendrick I have the 2018 vintage of this wine, and it is definitely not sweet at all from my recollection. I’m guessing the “sweet” mentioned is probably perceived “sweetness” or “jammy”-ness from the fruit.
I have had this wine as early as 15 yrs ago. The blend changes every year.
I think the writers got carried away and injected a “sweetness” discussion for poetry or comedy purposes; has nothing to do with the taste or RS of this wine.,WA red blends are not sweet. I have not tasted this vintage (as I said, changes every year). But deciding on 6 or 12.
BTW the AVA Wahluke Slope, WA is one of the best in central WA. (Red mountain is an excellent sub-AVA nearby)
If you’ve seen the area it gets hot and dry in Summer but then cools off a lot most nights. The weather patterns often cause a Summer afternoon wind… hence Desert Wind.
I’ve made 3 purchases of Desert Wind - 2 of the Ruah (which is Hebrew for wind!) and one of mixed varietals.
I have not been disappointed by any of them!
At $8.33 a bottle this is a steal - made only better by the time in the bottle.
I’ve had this a number of times over the last 20 years and it’s a value at its listed price point. I don’t think recent vintages have been as good, or maybe that’s just my palate after drinking more expensive wines for the last several years.
Anyway this is a very drinkable wine at a very good price. I’m in for a box.
@mediocrebot At least it’s not styrofoam. There was a place locally that had a patented process to liquify it and re-process. They got sold to a company in Texas I think.
I found a local place that says they take it for recycling (where?) for $10/carload. I just refuse to put it in landfill.
As “they” say… you have to die of something!
Recent research and major health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), now conclude that no amount of alcohol consumption is completely safe. This shifts away from older beliefs that a small amount of alcohol, particularly red wine, could offer health benefits. Health authorities emphasize that the risk of harm begins with the first drop.
@accelerator@phendrick@visioneer_one not about alcohol but I remember a local news story that was about a woman 99 years old that said she enjoyed her daily can of Dr Pepper. She said the doctors kept advising against it, but the doctors kept dying!
@pakopako Pretty much daily there will be a new deal on the site. Coupon exclusions are very rare there. If you have particular tastes in wine, get on their mailing list and be on the lookout.
I’ll most likely save my coupon for the Christmas Cheer offering which is always good and usually runs late Nov / early Dec. Read up on those in the forums at Casemates (much like Meh forums).
And a reminder to current VMP members you get free shipping there and usually a 10% discount if you use the code “VMP” when ordering (but won’t stack with any other coupon).
Overall VMP is very much worth it IMO to those who still have it and order regularly from any Mercatalyst site. Only abject poverty would get me to abandon mine.
@pakopako@phendrick the VMP code doesn’t work for Casemates (as much as I’d like it to) I think it’s more for sidedeal (not the daily deal) and morningsave
Well, everybody says it’s good and worth the price, so got a case.
Sweet, or not, I have a sugar jar handy as well as a bag of orange slices jelly candy, so all will be good.
“Your order number is: cuddly-subsequent-humor”
But how much do I have to drink at one sitting to get that effect? And where’s my companion?
@OnionSoup Yeah I always tried to be good about having fresh filtered water for my kitty. A cup by the bedside was his favorite, but that’s also where I’d have my water for the night too. So I’d learned to use my own cup with a lid or straw, and a different open one for kitty. Though in truth we didn’t mind sharing.
@OnionSoup Neither does Mine, I also don’t drink the stuff. Personal choice, Plus I rather not have to pay a long visit to the Porcelain god Ralph! I only drink water most of the time I will put a flavor power stick in the water. I also gave up CO2 drinks… it gives me gas!
2019 Desert Wind Ruah Red Blend
Tasting Notes
Specs
The Vineyard
Winemaking
What’s Included
OR
About The Winery
Warranty
90 days
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Sep 29 - Wednesday, Oct 1
I was hoping for dessert wine, not desert wind.
(a letter here, a letter there…)
What’s the residual sugar in this?
@phendrick I don’t think anyone drinks for their health (maybe to their health)
@phendrick I have the 2018 vintage of this wine, and it is definitely not sweet at all from my recollection. I’m guessing the “sweet” mentioned is probably perceived “sweetness” or “jammy”-ness from the fruit.
/showme bowling ball hitting wine bottles instead of pins
Movie reference - Sideways?
This deal blows.
I agree: whoever names foodstuffs should eat sand.
But yeah, from the first notes, it sounded like eating fruitcake… Which the second notes covers.
That being said, I could use some backup dessert wine. I just finished giving away my last rosé beakers from Meh/Casemates.
This wine is not sweet…see the lab rat notes and the final entry in the Casemates community when it was offered there:
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/desert-wind-ruah-red-blend-2
I have had this wine as early as 15 yrs ago. The blend changes every year.
I think the writers got carried away and injected a “sweetness” discussion for poetry or comedy purposes; has nothing to do with the taste or RS of this wine.,WA red blends are not sweet. I have not tasted this vintage (as I said, changes every year). But deciding on 6 or 12.
BTW the AVA Wahluke Slope, WA is one of the best in central WA. (Red mountain is an excellent sub-AVA nearby)
If you’ve seen the area it gets hot and dry in Summer but then cools off a lot most nights. The weather patterns often cause a Summer afternoon wind… hence Desert Wind.
As an enema…this will do.
@Bumplepimp that is an great idea!
@Bumplepimp @mycya4me Is it a great idea? Won’t you just end up with a winey asshole?
@Bumplepimp @yakkoTDI, other being a Winey smell… No difference from the Prep for the Colon test. “They are so MUCH Fun”!
Man, why you gotta waste a daily deal on wine when you already have an entire site dedicated to selling wine?
@AROAH Your comment just sounds like a bunch of sour grapes.
@AROAH cross marketing or some such.
hopefully, this will be the biggest disappointment of your day.
@AROAH @ekw Doubtful.
Can’t think of a more off-putting moniker
I’ve had this, and as has been said above it is not sweet. Good stuff at a great price.
I’ve made 3 purchases of Desert Wind - 2 of the Ruah (which is Hebrew for wind!) and one of mixed varietals.
I have not been disappointed by any of them!
At $8.33 a bottle this is a steal - made only better by the time in the bottle.
why can’t folks in Mississippi buy?
@loubal775
Stupid local laws… Same as here in neighboring AL.
@loubal775 it is possible that the state has some strange rules about shipping booze/ wine… ect. There is away, But it gets complicated
@loubal775 @mycya4me What’s this ect you’re shipping?
@loubal775 @mycya4me @phendrick
Ectoplasm?
@Kyeh @loubal775 @phendrick Yep that is correct!
I’ve had this a number of times over the last 20 years and it’s a value at its listed price point. I don’t think recent vintages have been as good, or maybe that’s just my palate after drinking more expensive wines for the last several years.
Anyway this is a very drinkable wine at a very good price. I’m in for a box.
/showme 6450 cases of wine bottles
@mediocrebot At least it’s not styrofoam. There was a place locally that had a patented process to liquify it and re-process. They got sold to a company in Texas I think.
I found a local place that says they take it for recycling (where?) for $10/carload. I just refuse to put it in landfill.
As “they” say… you have to die of something!
Recent research and major health organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), now conclude that no amount of alcohol consumption is completely safe. This shifts away from older beliefs that a small amount of alcohol, particularly red wine, could offer health benefits. Health authorities emphasize that the risk of harm begins with the first drop.
@accelerator it’s a shame that the good effects of wine consumption don’t scale in the same way as exercise does
“20 minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week is good for you” , well i do an hour every night on the treadmill so that’s great!
“2 glasses of red wine three times a week is good for you”, well i drink a bottle every night so im an alcoholic?
@accelerator @visioneer_one Yes. Yes you are. Just pour it in a 32 oz cup and say you have one glass of wine a night.
@accelerator @Trinityscrew @visioneer_one
@accelerator @Kyeh @Trinityscrew @visioneer_one Well they say you have to know a limit:
/giphy gratifying-equivocal-limit
@accelerator @visioneer_one Well like most everyone else, I still know more old drunks than I do old doctors. So not overly worried.
@accelerator @phendrick @visioneer_one not about alcohol but I remember a local news story that was about a woman 99 years old that said she enjoyed her daily can of Dr Pepper. She said the doctors kept advising against it, but the doctors kept dying!
@accelerator @phendrick @pmarin @visioneer_one So her most trusted doctor was Dr. Pepper.
most profound wine review ever:
“this horse has diabetes”
Will there be stuff on Casemates to use the coupon on?
@pakopako Pretty much daily there will be a new deal on the site. Coupon exclusions are very rare there. If you have particular tastes in wine, get on their mailing list and be on the lookout.
I’ll most likely save my coupon for the Christmas Cheer offering which is always good and usually runs late Nov / early Dec. Read up on those in the forums at Casemates (much like Meh forums).
And a reminder to current VMP members you get free shipping there and usually a 10% discount if you use the code “VMP” when ordering (but won’t stack with any other coupon).
Overall VMP is very much worth it IMO to those who still have it and order regularly from any Mercatalyst site. Only abject poverty would get me to abandon mine.
@pakopako @phendrick the VMP code doesn’t work for Casemates (as much as I’d like it to) I think it’s more for sidedeal (not the daily deal) and morningsave
@phendrick abject poverty; I think that was two fiscal depressions ago
Well, everybody says it’s good and worth the price, so got a case.
Sweet, or not, I have a sugar jar handy as well as a bag of orange slices jelly candy, so all will be good.
“Your order number is: cuddly-subsequent-humor”
But how much do I have to drink at one sitting to get that effect? And where’s my companion?
@phendrick
/showme cuddly subsequent humor
@mediocrebot OK, who has good captions for this?
My cats do not approve of today’s offering. They only drink water.
@OnionSoup Yeah I always tried to be good about having fresh filtered water for my kitty. A cup by the bedside was his favorite, but that’s also where I’d have my water for the night too. So I’d learned to use my own cup with a lid or straw, and a different open one for kitty. Though in truth we didn’t mind sharing.
@OnionSoup Neither does Mine, I also don’t drink the stuff. Personal choice, Plus I rather not have to pay a long visit to the Porcelain god Ralph! I only drink water most of the time I will put a flavor power stick in the water. I also gave up CO2 drinks… it gives me gas!
@OnionSoup @pmarin I think I had one neighbor’s cat prefer water or light beer (might have been their duck, not cat)
/showme several real looking cats floating on rafts on a lake enjoying several bottles of wine.
@mediocrebot The Orange cat must have magic powers to have the glass of wine float in the water with no visible support!
This is one of the funniest writeups so far. A+.
when do we get the coupon code?
@mecarmom It will likely come on a piece of paper in the box.
@mecarmom In an email, or that’s how I got one last year.
@mecarmom I just received the coupon via an email.
Did not get a $10 coupon with delivery or in email. What is my expectation? Thanks.
@kparty12 Check Your emails.